Naturals, edges that aren't slicked down= unkempt?

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

This applies to women and to girl children.

I believe because the edges of anyone's head are very delicate they shouldn't be subjected to the process of 'slicking them down' all of the time. In the Christina Milian thread in the ET forum, I noticed baby Violet's edges were super slick. Not saying she used gel or anything, but the baby's edges already looked a little sparse to me, plus there was added tension with the ponytails.

I like this look a bit better than super duper slicked ricked edges:

Do you all think that having unslicked edges take away from a nice bun or ponytail by making the hair look unkempt? Why or why not?

 

[Your Cheeziness]

I think it depends on the outfit, occasion, etc. A workout bun, chill bun probably won't get my edges love. But a going out, formal event would require slip n slide edges for me. But for some, all it takes is water to lay down edges, so it's not always damaging. Some people have less dense edges, like me, and it also doesn't take damaging manipulation to lay them down.

 

[FlowerHair]

I like the "messy" look... But my second or third day hair needs some gel to look nice. I always get more compliments when I let the edges stay curly, though!

 

[DirtyJerzeyGirly]

i never slick my edges down formal or not. I've done it before and all it did was curl back up.

 

[Lynnerie]

I think Penny's edges look fine but like Cheeziness said, it depends on the occasion. Most of the time I slick mine back to finish the style.

 

[Amoreofcurls]

I used to be obsessed!!! with slicking my hair back, because I was very self consious about my "baby hair's" they go all the way down to my damn brows...I even shaved them off in HS,and yes right when I did that ish I learned why I even have them...they are def there to mask this almighty crome dome 5head I was born with I had to wear bangs for like 6 months

I would gel most of them back and strategically brush some down...

I recently started rocking the unslicked look, because I dont want to put any tension on my edges, so OP I agree with you on that...but when I leave em out I look like a lil kid, people will confuse me for being super young, especially if I decide not to wear make up...I would never rock the unslicked look to a job interview or such...

Now tell me this dont look like the top of a toddlers head???

 

[ChristmasCarol]

I don't slick back my edges or my DD's edges - I like the look of the fine hairs lying down against the head rather than being forced to go up into the bun/ponytail. I just don't like the way it looks on our natural hair. It looks very "un-natural" to me.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

I used to be obsessed!!! with slicking my hair back, because I was very self consious about my "baby hair's" they go all the way down to my damn brows...I even shaved them off in HS,and yes right when I did that ish I learned why I even have them...they are def there to mask this almighty crome dome 5head I was born with I had to wear bangs for like 6 months

I would gel most of them back and strategically brush some down...

I recently started rocking the unslicked look, because I dont want to put any tension on my edges, so OP I agree with you on that...but when I leave em out I look like a lil kid, people will confuse me for being super young, especially if I decide not to wear make up...I would never rock the unslicked look to a job interview or such...

Now tell me this dont look like the top of a toddlers head???

Amoreofcurls

Your hairline is ideal, IMO. And, yes, it does look like a toddler's head - but most toddlers have pretty hair!

 

[BostonMaria]

I hate frizz so I slick back my edges with water, coffee butter, and a paddle brush. I use gel if I it's really hot out and I know the coffer butter won't cut it.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[BostonMaria]

Amoreofcurls

Your hairline is ideal, IMO. And, yes, it does look like a toddler's head - but most toddlers have pretty hair!

Back in the 70's when gel was nonexistent, I always had a 3" halo of frizz LMAO all my elementary school pictures were like this. As a kid it's cute, but at 40 not so much.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[JayAnn0513]

I doesn't bother me, but when my daughters edges aren't slick I get fly comments from everyone from my mother to my mother in law to random old ladies in the park. It makes me crazy.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Back in the 70's when gel was nonexistent, I always had a 3" halo of frizz LMAO all my elementary school pictures were like this. As a kid it's cute, but at 40 not so much.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

BostonMaria

Girl, I'm not even gonna talk about my 70's school pics

I'm a member of the over 40 club, but I also don't work outside the home - so I don't need to look professional. When I go to an event, I never wear my hair up, so I've never really thought about it that much.

And thanks, BM, for telling me I don't look cute ...I still ain't gellin', though.

 

[faithVA]

I don't slick down my edges. My edges and my entired head are usually fuzzy. I just roll with that. If I were going to a truly formal event, I probably would slick my edges.

 

[Poohbear]

I'm fine with natural edges that aren't slicked down. I do not think they are unkempt.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

lol My edges do NOT curl up and look cute. They either frizz and/or roll up. If I'm free fro'ing it, I don't.... but if I'm puffing it up for the outside world, I tend to. It's either water & a little bit of Castor oil, gel, or gel/castor blend and a scarf to slick them down. I'm not rough with my hairline at all. You can lay them down gently without alot of trauma.

 

[Vshanell]

For me to feel finished and put together mine have to be slick down. Not super slick like plastered to my head (been there done that) but smooth. I don't like fuzzy edges at all.

The only time I can pull my hair back w/o slicking is when I have a fresh wash n' go and the curls are defined and frizz free.

 

[Ronnieaj]

I don't slick down my edges either. I'd have to use extra-hold gel to make that happen, and it's not that serious. I normally wear a scarf over the pulled-back part anyway, and special events are my excuse to let my hair out, so that becomes a non-issue.

 

[charislibra]

She looks like she has a widow's peak... I have one too and my edges are fine.

 

[prospurr4]

ETA: Oops, I just realized this question was directed to naturals.

 

[Aviah]

I do most of the time, unless its a WnG ponypuff.

 

[beautifullyblessed]

I don't slick down my edges either and I have really short edges. What my hands, leave-in, headband, and/or scarf can't get to stay down against my scalp, I am fine with. If it is really formal, I would just wear my hair down.

 

[Nonie]

I NEVER sleek my edges or even hair down. NEVER! I'd feel as if I had smeared snort or snail slime all over my head with the hairs all glued down with gel. I don't even use a brush for the length of my hair when I create a puff but just comb my hair back and use my hands to smooth it back. I use a brush on the edges just because that's the only way I know to comb out the beady beads, but once "combed" I leave them well alone.

I've done when this when I didn't have a formal place to go:

And when I wore this do for an interview (my hair was freshly washed and damp when I put it in this style so one could argue that wet hair lies down better and I guess it does):

But even when going to work with stretched hair, no slicking down was done and no one could tell me nuffin coz I was feeling like a queen:

ETA a close up:

Not slicking down my hair has never seemed to get in the way of whatever look I was going for, formal or not...and it hasn't been an obstacle to whatever I was trying to achieve.

 

[pookaloo83]

I never slick down my edges. If I'm going someweher nice I may add a little gel. But on a daily basis no. I like all of my hair to look uniform. If its puffy in the back it might as well be puffy all over.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

beautifullyblessed

Your hair is gorgeous!

 

[curlyninjagirl]

I only recently began to accept the non-slicked edges look on me. For a long time I didn't like the way it looked then last year I saw a natural on the metro without slicked back edges and it totally changed my perception. Besides, my front edges are soooo fragile. I just can't do the slick back like I used to if I wanna maintain a hairline! LOL

 

[Detroit2Dallas]

must be nice, my edges are a mess, they NEVER lay down, i dont care how much gel, wax, jam, glaze I use. and it drives me nuts

 

[DarkVictory]

I don't slick mine back. How it looks depends on the weather. Might be unkempt or what-the-heck? but I just go with it.

Dry day:


Humid day:


My avatar shows what I call felted edges: pulled back while damp and tied down until dry; no brushing, no gel.

 

[Vintagecoilylocks]

When I used to relax I had no curly edges. Once I went natural they came back. I had not seen them except on a picture when I was three. My mom straightened my hair from then on. I don't wear my hair smooth flat so they swirl and blend in to my hair and lay on my hair line. I like the look. I like the undefined softness they give me. When I was first natural an absolute stranger, a male, was standing on the bus with me and simply said " Your curls are so beautiful" the only ones he could have been referring to was my hair line. I had the rest in a braided bun. I really like the ones around the nape of my hair.

 

[beautifullyblessed]

I also want to add that I rarely wear all my hair back unless I am wearing a headband or scarf. Usually when I wear a bun, I wear some of the front portion down kind of like long bangs in the form of a twist out. That way, a decent chunk of my edges are not even exposed and the parts of my edges that are are not really worth having to slick down. I like messy buns with messy edges. It is like my carefree look.

Now once I get a corporate job, I might have to tidy up my look JUST a little bit, but not too much.

@beautifullyblessed

Your hair is gorgeous!

Aw, thanks hun!

Nonie

I like the twisted bangs!

 

[CurlsBazillion]

I always slick em' and I guess thats more habit for me because I never thought about it. To me a style ain't done till those baby hairs are down with a little gel (less than a dime size) and water.